Rural Perspectives

Eastern bluebirds making a comeback

by Diane Constable

The male eastern bluebird (above) has bright blue feathers, while the female is a duller blue. Photo credit Diane Constable

Our only tawny red, white, and blue bird is the eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis). A harbinger of spring, they return to Michigan in late February/early March, although they are extending their range and now can be found in our area year-round.

The male searches for a nesting spot in a tree cavity or a bluebird box and will guard it from other male bluebirds and predators.

By April, the female, which is a duller blue than the male, has built the grass nest and has laid five or six light blue eggs that will hatch in about two weeks. Both parents feed the chicks, which leave the nest at about 21 days. The adults will continue to feed and protect them for another week while they gain their flying skills. The chicks will grow to about 6 inches long and weigh about 1 ounce.

Bluebirds eat caterpillars, spiders, crickets and other insects that live in short grasses and gardens, and the birds can spot them from their perch up to 50 yards away. In the winter, they will eat wild berries and fruit. They will come to feeders if mealworms are offered and will sometimes eat suet and sunflower seeds.

About 60 years ago, their numbers were low because of chemicals (now banned) and non-native birds such as starlings and English sparrows that would invade their nests. Since then, they have made a comeback, in good part due to nesting boxes, which offer a spot to nest and, when made correctly, block other birds from getting in.

Fun Facts:

• The back and wing feathers of the bluebirds do not absorb blue light wavelengths and are reflected, making it appear sky-blue to us.

• Michigan has a Bluebird Festival every year in Jackson or Ann Arbor. This year it is on March 23, in Ann Arbor.

Diane Constable is an avid photographer. She serves on the Unadilla Township Planning Commission and is a member of the township’s Parks and Recreation Committee. Diane also enjoys her dogs and gardening.